Well I hived my packages on friday. Today I found eggsign and removed the queen cages. I accidentally ripped a comb from one of the top bars because it was not apparent that it was built onto the queen cage until I already had done significant damage. I ended up removing the damaged comb along with about 50 of the first eggs layed. All the hives are doing well, have taken up 2 sandwich sized ziplock bags full of syrup. I put in two new bags of feed into each hive. They have been storing the syrup and since they are already out foraging I think I will see if these two feedings will be enough.

All hives seem very happy.

Bees sure do built their own comb MUCH MUCH MUCH faster than drawing out foundation. Its not something you even need to measure, you can see how much faster it is. 4 days in a hive with no foundation and the queen is already laying.

That's one of the myths I always believed because it made sense. How can they not draw foundation faster since we gave them so much wax? But they sure draw their own comb quicker. If you don't like plastic because the bees hesitate, then you should love foundationless beekeeping. You'll find they didn't really like the foundation either. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif

04-14-2004, 01:19 PM

scsasdsa

sounds great scott can't wait to try mine with the may package, keep us posted on how they progress.

04-15-2004, 06:39 PM

BerkeyDavid

Hey Scott, sounds good, what does egg sign look like? Also what does pollen look like? There was some bright yellow stuff in the comb around the queen cage. sounds like yours was stuck in there too! Pretty incredible, eh?

04-15-2004, 06:47 PM

Michael Bush

Eggs look like an fly egg. Imagine a grain of rice shrunk down very small only more cylindrical. They are dry and stuck in the bottom of the cell. Hard to see on white wax, but not so hard on dark wax if you have good close vision (I can't see them with my distance glasses on).

Pollen comes in many colors from white to yellow to orange to red. It's opaque and semi hard like dough (that's why they call it bee bread) stored in the cells.

When it's coming in it's on the bees legs in their baskets.

04-16-2004, 08:30 PM

Scot Mc Pherson

I think the yellow on the queen cage is a stain. Its something in the bees that does it, I have no idea what it is, but it will eventually get all over your woodenware. Youu'll also get the same yellow stain when you squash a bee unknowingly and see it the next inspeciton session.

Michael,
I know what eggs look like :PP

[This message has been edited by Scot Mc Pherson (edited April 16, 2004).]

04-16-2004, 09:12 PM

Michael Bush

&gt;Michael, I know what eggs look like :PP

But apparently David didn't.

04-16-2004, 10:00 PM

Scot Mc Pherson

David,
Yeah its even more incredible in TBHs because we are getting to watch the bees do what bees do, not forced to work in ways we would make them.